William Lutsky Family YMCA — Local services in Edmonton

My family and I have been long-time members of this YMCA, but the treatment I received from Manager Candace has left me no choice but to write this. This review is about the appalling way my concern was handled. Yesterday, I visited the YMCA and used the hot tub in the Plus-member locker room. Shortly after, I began experiencing an allergic reaction, which I can only attribute to an over-concentration of chemicals in the water. I was not alone; another woman in the facility was also complaining of irritation from the water. The physical reaction was bad enough, but the response from management was worse.

I called the facility to report the issue as a courtesy, hoping to prevent it from happening to someone else. After several attempts, I was connected with Candace. I did not know she was the manager at the time.

From the very beginning, her tone was shockingly dismissive, defensive, and outright rude. She immediately shut me down, refused to listen. She insisted their water is "checked twice a day" and there couldn't be a problem. She told me that if I am feeling ill, it is not the YMCA's fault, and that I should "go see a doctor," showing a complete lack of concern or accountability. Her attitude was unprofessional and deeply upsetting. Shocked by her behavior, I visited the facility in person specifically to report this staff member's conduct to a manager. To my surprise, I discovered that the rude individual I had spoken to on the phone, Candace, was the manager. When I tried to explain how her behaviour made me feel, she was just as condescending and dismissive in person, doubling down on her lack of empathy or accountability. The complete lack of care, the refusal to listen to a loyal member, and the outright rudeness from the top-down is unacceptable. Next time I have a concern with the sanitation of the YMCA, I will call the health services...

The facility itself is OK and usually not very busy, but it could use some updating as it's looking a little rough / dated in some areas. Lifeguards in the pool are often not very attentive, often too lazy to walk around the pool. In general most of the staff here are very friendly and try to be helpful. Biggest issue is when it comes to payment and membership policies everybody there tells you a different story and if there is any issue none of the front desk clerks can sort out anything on their own, everything is passed on to the supervisor Demera who is just plain rude and has zero customer service skills whatsoever. I thought the Y is supposed to be all about being helpful, caring, belonging etc. LOL. Right from the start of the membership I was told different things and every 2 week billing statement amount was incorrect and had to be corrected for 4 periods. Then, when account was to be put on hold for a period they screwed that up too and account became expired, though Demera had no interest in what happened with that at all. Then when I wanted to reinstate the account and extend the hold they would not do it unless I gave them a credit card number on file (so they could continue to bill me incorrectly directly!) even though I had remaining days already paid for. Their online account website is archaic and lots of glitches. For a "non-profit" place, pretty expensive, higher than more up to date better facilities such as the City rec centres. Only reason went here was because it was a convenient location. I recommend save yourself the headaches and go elsewhere where they're more organized and...

Volunteering is typically seen as an opportunity to contribute positively to the community by donating time and skills without the expectation of compensation. However, at the WL YMCA, there seems to be a policy that requires volunteers to commit to a minimum of two hours each week. If this commitment isn't met, volunteers may be removed from the program without prior notice.

This experience can be quite surprising and disappointing, especially for individuals who may not be able to volunteer frequently due to various reasons. In one case, a volunteer reached out to the supervisor to inquire about a name tag, only to be informed via a phone call that they had been removed from the program for not logging enough hours. The supervisor mentioned that Human Resources had contacted this volunteer, but the volunteer had not received any such communication.

While the WL YMCA is generally regarded as a valuable place to volunteer, this approach to managing volunteer hours can come across as unsupportive. The abrupt removal from the system, especially without direct communication, raises concerns about how volunteers are treated.

Overall, while volunteering is about flexibility and giving back in a way that fits one’s schedule, it's important to understand that some organizations may have stricter requirements. This particular experience highlights that those looking to volunteer should be aware of any time commitment expectations, as it might deter potential volunteers who wish to participate at...